


Little Bats And Camera Straps

by Niullum



Series: Batman Bingo 2020 [4]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Good Kid Jason Todd, Jason Todd is Robin, Kid Tim Drake, Stalker Tim Drake, no beta we die like robins
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-19
Updated: 2020-09-19
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:54:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26530954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Niullum/pseuds/Niullum
Summary: “Are you lost, kid?”The camera clicks in response and before Jason can do anything, the flash momentarily blinds him. By the time Jason can see again, he realizes something.The kid isgone.
Relationships: Tim Drake & Jason Todd
Series: Batman Bingo 2020 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1806313
Comments: 37
Kudos: 476





	Little Bats And Camera Straps

**Author's Note:**

> Many thanks to [Batbirdies](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Batbirdies/pseuds/Batbirdies), [Beanie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScreamingBean/pseuds/ScreamingBean), and [Squinty](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ErzasCake/pseuds/Squintyfist) for helping me with the title! ily 💖  
> Enjoy!

The first encounter happens on a Friday no less, the _worst_ kind of day to patrol. People are more driven to do wrong, especially after a long week of work. Blazing lights are coming from every skyscraper and there’s a good amount of traffic nearby, with cars honking like crazy and people shouting.

A typical night for a city like Gotham.

If Jason looks up, the bat signal is still being projected up in the sky. Something that only happens when commissioner Gordon wants help with another case. Jason keeps going, careful to swing across roofs and silently mix with the shadows.

One of the first lessons Bruce taught him. Well, two basic rules: don't attract attention and avoid confrontation if you're outnumbered. Very easy to remember. Rules Bruce has drilled in his head before letting him patrol solo. Not quite "solo" because a) Bruce’s too paranoid and b) Jason sincerely doubts it will happen sometime soon. But at least Jason gets twenty minutes of freedom before joining Bruce to finish the rest of the route.

A small step but big nonetheless to win Bruce's trust. Hopefully, if everything goes right in the next couple of months Bruce will allow him more time to patrol alone while he talks to commissioner Gordon about (and he quotes) "adult stuff".

He huffs at the reminder. As if he, Jason Peter Todd, hadn’t seen enough. Crime Alley has raised him very well in that aspect. Sure, some things still make him uncomfortable—needles for example—but he can practically handle anything.

Then a woman shouts for help, near an alleyway covered in darkness, and all thoughts of Bruce and patrol vanish immediately. It’s there when Jason knows he’s needed. He runs faster, using to his advantage the speed of his short form and leaps, barging right to the scene with all the sheer willpower of justice can have.

Or whatever Bruce said. 

Anyway, both the woman (completely terrified and held against her will) and the thief freeze on the spot and Jason let's all of his training show. The action comes naturally by now. One kick, one punch in the chest. Maybe another punch in the face if he’s feeling generous.

 _“Good job Robin,”_ the voice of Alfred speaks through the comm line just as Jason is making the last finishing touches, after escorting the woman somewhere safe. Jason dusts his pants and salutes the tied up thief who’s hanging upside down, all ready for the Gotham police station to take and prosecute. An honorable service, considering these days most of the police officers are sadly overworked.

 _“I believe the punch is the new move. Did Master Bruce taught you?”_ Jason can swear by the whole book collection he has under his bed, that Alfred sounds proud. An admirable feat since Alfred is hard to impress. Normally Alfred doesn’t speak much and only speaks when it's necessary. Jason turns his head to the closest camera, grins, and gives him a thumbs up.

The faint chuckle he hears only makes him grin more.

“Yeah, A,” Jason says, almost ignoring the privacy protocol. “Is B still occupied?”

 _“I think he will soon be_ _unoccupied_.”

With that in mind, Jason continues his path careful to not go too far in case B needs him, and then…it happens just as he’s about to turn left. A faint _click!_ sound that catches his attention. A sound that _Jason definitely_ needs to check out. He cranes his head back to the sound source and finds a kid crouching on a rooftop, looking at him like a deer in headlights.

Jason immediately changes route, to catch another glimpse of the kid. For whatever reason that kid is hanging there, it's not safe. He could easily fall to his death. But just as he lands, he finds no trace of the kid.

Crap. He looks around and it takes him a minute to see him, perfectly camouflaged and hidden under an exit stair near the roof. He frowns. There is no doubt this kid is small, could probably be no older than seven-years-old. Judging by the small camera strapped around his neck, Jason has the feeling this one could be either a lost kid, a kidnapped kid, or a runaway.

Maybe all three.

_Who knows?_

After this is Gotham.

Jason throws the grappling hook to the roof near the stairs and swings, landing a few meters away from the kid, who is currently watching him in a weird mix of fascination, adoration, and fear. Jason crouches down, just enough so he does not scare him off, and asks.

“Are you lost, kid?”

The camera clicks in response and before Jason can do anything, the flash momentarily blinds him. By the time he can see again, Jason realizes something.

The kid is _gone_.

* * *

Luckily, Batman is not there to witness Jason’s humiliation. Something that Jason is deeply grateful for since it is not every day Robin loses against a seven-year-old kid in the most pathetic way.The worst part is that there _are still_ white spots dancing around his vision.

“Is everything alright Robin?” Batman asks after they reunite, concern laced in his voice. No matter what the rest of the world thinks about Batman, Jason knows how overprotective he can be.

“Nothin’ to worry B,” Jason replies and hums, thinking over a possible reply. “I tripped over a rat.”

“A rat?” Bruce echoes this time in amusement.

“Sneaky little rat let me tell ya’,” Jason finishes with a decisive nod. Then he raises his head to the sky and adds, “Where do we go now B?”

* * *

“You again?” Jason asks when he catches sight of the _same_ boy, who is wearing the _same_ outfit and has the _same_ camera. You know what they say, once is a chance and twice is a coincidence. A coincidence Jason is having a hard time believing, especially in a city like Gotham.

Jason narrows his eyes, mentally thinking what the protocol for this is. The kid is not a threat. Obviously not. Jason is sure the wind could easily take the kid down.

The boy simply blinks and holds tight the camera.

“Can you speak?” Jason adds when the boy does not reply. The boy scrunches his nose and then timidly nods. Jason sighs in relief. Good, that means one less thing to worry about. Mobs can sometimes do nasty things to kids.

Trust him, Gotham is one deep fuck-up city.

“Good,” Jason says, probably to fill in the awkward silence among them. “Will you run away if I ask questions?”

A pause and this time the kid shrugs his shoulder, clutching a bit tighter the black and yellow straps—that does not inspire any type of trust in Jason—of the camera. Jason takes a step forward to catch another glimpse of the camera and whistles. A good looking camera if Jason may add. It looks expensive.

Unless the kid stole it, this discards some options. Jason hums as he mentally debates what to ask next, or finds another question he can use in his favor. Just as he’s about to open his mouth Jason hears it.

“It’s okay,” he hears the barely audible whisper of the boy, filled with shyness. “I do not mind.”

And because Jason cannot help himself, he teases.

“So you _do_ speak,” He draws out the _do_ as long as possible. “Now,” he says. “What’s your name?”

* * *

When Jason and B finally reach the cave, Jason already has a plan in mind. The moment Bruce unlocks the door, Jason sprints and hops near Alfred, who has all intentions of fuzzing over him.

Not that Jason minds. He likes Alfred very much. But there is a mystery to uncover and unlike Nigma, this mystery does not involve explosions so...that’s nice.

“Hey B,” Jason says when Bruce comes back without his suit off. The slight _“hmm?”_ Noise alerts, he has his attention. “I need to ask ya’ somethin’.”

Jason gets a raised eyebrow in return and Jason _grins._

“I need to use your computer for a bit.”

Bruce frowns.

“For what reasons?”

“Need to find someone called,” Jason says and taps his cheek with one of his fingers, trying to remember the name. “Tim?”

* * *

Jason’s quest to find the kid’s identity ends up with 3.000 results of kids in the nearby county called Tim.

“God fucking damn it,” Jason moans in frustration and bangs his head against the desk.

“Master Jason, _language._ ” Alfred chides in with a disapproving stare that makes Jason wince and immediately apologizes.

“Don’t even know the kid’s hair color,” Jason says under his breath once Alfred goes to clean the medbay. He looks at the numbers and groans. “I don’t even know the color of his eyes. “

The only thing he knows is what color the camera straps are.

_Ugh_

* * *

The worst part of all is that the kid is _sneaky_. He _knows_ where Jason is and when he will show up. It’s like if the kid is some type of ghost. A theory Jason is starting to believe more every day.

He turns around the corner and-

“Dang it,” he curses out when he finds nothing. Not a glimpse of those stupid black and yellow straps.

Horrible color choices if Jason may add.

Who even likes _yellow?_

* * *

“Where are your parents?” Jason asks next time he sees him, sparing no time in asking the biggest question.

“Alive,” the kid blurts out and immediately covers his mouth as if he’d just blurted out the worst atrocity in this world. “I mean they’re well, just them. Um, well. Perfectly healthy, as in alive and breathing.”

Jason sighs and rubs his temple.

“If they are well, why are you not there-”

The kid escapes before Jason can finish the question. The worst part? Is that he is pretty sure he heard some sniffles.

* * *

The thing is Jason _knows_ he should tell Bruce about this. He obviously should. Bruce would immediately know what to do. But there was something that came across the kid’s face. A sudden flash of pain in the kid’s eyes when Jason asked about his parents the other day.

A feeling that hit too close _to home_ for Jason not to solve it. Jason needs to know who the boy’s parents are. Check to see if this kid is being hurt or not. Find him a better home. Bruce will probably chew on him later from hiding this but the kid is a total mystery.

He has to, no…

Jason _must_ figure this out.

* * *

He finds the kid just on the worst night. The one that involves guns, murder, and blood. Lots of punching involved. Not that Jason minds, quite on the contrary he likes fighting. But all sense of coolness stops when Jason sees the kid, hiding in an alley surrounded by a bunch of creeps. Yes, the same kid who’s clutching his camera with the _stupid_ black and yellow straps as if his life depends on it.

For _fuck’s_ sake

And that’s how, ladies and gentlemen, Jason ends up with a concussion, two broken ribs, and a three-hour sermon from _Bruce_ —of all breaking people—about safety while they drive back to the manor.

Let’s not even talk about the amount of extra-training Jason will have to do to go out again. But at least the kid is safe, and that’s what matters, right?

* * *

“Master Jason?” Alfred calls his name just minutes before he and Bruce leave to patrol. “May I ask why are you…?” he trails off not knowing how to voice why he’s carrying _food_.

“It’s for a friend,” Jason states.

“A friend,” Alfred echoes with an arched eyebrow just as Jason smuggles another snack.

* * *

Jason finds Tim in the exact spot they originally met. The kid is soaked up from head to toes, and shivering a little. But not even the rain is enough to stop him from taking pictures. 

“Hey kid,” Jason calls out, and the young boy immediately sputters when Jason throws him a bag of _Cheetos_. Tim scrambles to get it and struggles to catch it, only to frown a little when he reads the brand. 

“Is this drugged?” "Is the first the kid asks. Jason snorts because the _sheer gal_ to ask that. Jason may be a bat, but he’s not an asshole. Especially to someone he's trying to be friends with.

“Of course not.” He says and wastes no time sitting right next to him, ignoring all urges to maintain a safe distance in case the kid decides to _blind_ him _again_ with his _camera_.

“But...," The kid trails off, unsure as if this is a trap or not. " _Why?”_

“Because I want to,” Jason says and with a nudge to the kid’s shoulder, conspiratorially, he points at the camera, totally changing the topic. “You like taking pictures?”

Another nod, this time less timid. Jason hums and decides to let the silence stretch as long as possible, as the kid (Tim his mind corrects) takes the time to take a picture from the city with the same _ugly_ black and yellow straps—

Wait a minute.

He squints his eyes at that and—

Oh. My. God. 

The hideous black straps are decorated with _yellow_ bats. His brain briefly short circuits when he identifies the yellow bats that somehow _coincidentally_ resemble the bat signal. He looks back at the kid, who is furiously blushing like there is no tomorrow.

The blush on the kid’s face is the only answer Jason needs to conclude.

“You like _bats_ ,” Jason states and smiles when he sees the boy ducking his head, his blush getting ten times more red. " _Bats_."

“Don’t tell anyone.” Tim pleads but Jason can barely hear it because everything is slowly starting to make sense.

The strange appearances. The camera. The _batman signal_...

“You like _bats_ ,” Jason repeats, his smile widening as he speaks, totally ignoring the way the kid groans in pure embarrassment. “ _Batman fan.”_

Tim whimpers in response.

**Author's Note:**

> Please press f for Tim 😔
> 
> Thanks for reading, hope you like it! And if you do, please tell me in the comments! 💕


End file.
